Diwali/Deepavali

Diwali/Deepavali is a well known Indian festival, which is celebrated almost by everybody.

Deepavali comes from Sanskrit. Deepa means Light (indicating the traditional lamp) and aavali means in a row, literally meaning lights in a row.
Many of us, especially the Indians of North India, celebrate this festival by lighting lamps and arranging them in a row, both inside and outside their homes.
Deepavali is also called "Diwali" widely.

Let's get into the details

• When Celebrated
• Significance
• Decoration
• Procurement
• Procedure
• Dress (Traditional)
• Pooja
• Prasadham/Food

When Celebrated?

In the month of October and November (Tamil month "Aippasi")

Significance

Ganga snanam - The first and foremost significance of Diwali is Ganga snanam, which literally means "bath in the holy river Ganga". The Ganga snanam is done at home however, the belief is that the holy Ganges manifests herself in all the waters on that particular day at the said muhurtham. A very famous slokam says

"Jale Ganga, thaile lakshmi?"

Another significance of the day is to visit elders and take their blessings. People usually wear new clothes and distribute sweets, prepared at home. The day is marked by guests!

Lakshmi pooja is performed widely, although it is said, it is speficic to people from North India. Pooja to Godess Lakshmi is performed in the evening.

Decoration

It is customary to clean the house, however it is not a mandate.

New clothes that were purchased should be kept in the perumal sannidhi. Chandhan paste and Kumkum should be applied to the corners of all the new clothes.

On Diwali morning, front yard can be washed with water and kolams should be drawn. Drawing Padi kolams is preferred.

In the Perumal sannidhi, kolams should be drawn as usual.

Procurement

Flowers, Fruits (preferrably Banana), Betel leaves, Paaku/seeval

Chandanam, Kumkumam, sunnambu, manjal, Nalangu manjal, manjal neer

Gingelley oil, Manai palagai, kuthu vilakku

Preparation of Nalangu manjal - Take a spoon of turmeric powder (manjal) and mix a pinch of sunnambu thoroughly to it, until it comes to a color of deep red.

Manjal neer - In a bogini (a vessel that can hold water) , take a spoon of turmeric powder and add sunnambu and water to it, until the color of water turns deep red.

Preparation of Nalangu oil - Take a cup of Gingelley oil in Vaanali ( for four), sprinkle few grains of pachai or puzhungal arisi and a pinch of manjal powder, omam, milagu to it and heat to a little lesser than boiling. It is said, the additional items to oil are optional.

Procedure

It is important to get up early in the morning before the sun rises. Some say crackers can be fired as soon as getting up. Some say crackers should be fired only after the ganga snanam.

Nalangu - Wipe a small place in the hall draw a small padi kolam. Put the manai palagai over the kolam and light the kuthu vilakku at the side, facing east. In a tray, arrange the flowers, fruits, betel leaves, paaku/seeval, manjal, nalangu manjal and nalangu oil

Make the eldest person in the palagai and the senior woman of the family should keep the nalangu to the person sitting in the palagai.

First, apply chandanam to the neck, both the hands, first to the right. Apply kumkumam in the forehead. Keep flowers. Apply manjal paste to both the legs, first to the right. Apply the nalangu manjal in the legs in a specific pattern (as shown). Give a piece of banana to the nalangee to eat. Give betel leaves with sunnambu and seeval/paaku to eat. Swirl the manjal neer thrice to the nalangee.

Apply the nalangu oil to the head in trident.